出差报销和公款吃喝 Business Trip Reimbursement and Public Funds for Food and Drinks

最近看到中国关于公款喝茅台的争论 - 有人竟提出“不喝茅台喝什么”。可见，中国的公款吃喝让美国望尘莫及。

加州大学，和其他加州公共机关一样，对出差人员的报销数额有严格规定。每人每天， 旅行，住宿和通讯之外，目前每人每天有$64的饮食定额。住宿旅馆开销也有规定，特殊情况，比如会议旅馆是唯一可行的选择，即使超标，经特别批准后，也可以报销。$64的饮食报销不能包括含酒精饮料。出差人员可以饮酒，但酒类开销要从报销单中除掉。

公务接待允许有限度的公款吃喝 -

早餐 - $26
午餐 - $45
晚餐 - $78
点心 - $18

当然， 酒类不能报销。

这些规章不仅存在，而且第三者审计公司定期抽查加州各大学账目。如果公务人员违规，他们不但要受惩罚，而且会因此丢掉工作。

干杯！




Mark Bussinger (photographer)


Recently I read the debate in China, on drinking Maotai with public funds -  actually someone even posed such challenging "If not Maotai, then what?". Maotai, is an iconic hard liquor produced in China and is extremely expensive, and is distilled from fermented sorghum and now comes in different versions ranging in alcohol content from the standard 53% by volume down to 35%. Obviously, using public funds on food and drinks in China is a tall order for the U.S. to match.

University of California, as other California public institutions, has strict regulations on the amount of reimbursement of the travel staff. Besides the costs for traveling, accommodation and communications, the current per diem limit is $64.  Accommodation hotel should not bee too expensive; under special circumstances, such as the conference hotel is the only viable option, by special permission, one can stay in an expensive hotel. The food/drink reimbursement of $64 should not include any alcoholic beverages. If a person chose to drink, he/she must cross out the cost of alcohol from reimbursement request.

It is also allowed to provide some food and drink during official receptions using public funds with such limits:

Breakfast	$26
Lunch	$45
Dinner	$78
Light refreshment	$18

Of course, alcohol can not be reimbursed.

These regulations not only exist, a third party auditing firm periodically inspect the accounts of the University of California. If public servants violated regulations, they will not only be punished, and might lose their jobs as well.

Bottom up!

善待服务员 - Treating Service People Nicely

Recently, a Chinese couple was asked to leave the airplane from Guam heading Shanghai, because the female passenger refused to allow the stewardess to re-arrange her luggage in the bin, while her husband told the stewardess to "shut up" multiple times.

It is a common practice in the US that customers treat service people humanly.  To command them like slaves, often seen in mainland China, is not a practice received nicely, not only the servers, but other customers as well.

In the airplane, the crew member should not fly if he or she feels he or she is not up to task, due to any reasons, while the plane cannot take off without a full crew.  Under such circumstances, the captain almost always back his crew member up.

In the past, even a very famous American operatic soprano had been asked to leave the plane when a crew member was upset by her alleged maltreatment.

Of course, that's extreme case.  But even in a restaurant, when a diner treats server rudely, it would embarrass his/her companion(s) and would invite hostile looks from other diners.

In the US, people do try to treat others nicely. 


近日，一对中国夫妇被要求离开从关岛前往上海的飞机，因为其中的女乘客拒绝允许空姐重新安置她在行李箱的行李，而她的丈夫多次告诉空姐“闭嘴”。

在美国，客户常常对服务员很人道。在中国大陆经常看到的，把他们像奴隶一样吆喝，不但招服务员不满，也惹其他客户生气。

在飞机上，机组成员如果他或她觉得因任何理由不能完成任务，他或她则不能飞，而没有全部机组成员，飞机则不能飞。在这种情况下，船长几乎总是支持他的机组成员。

在过去，曾有过一个非常著名的美国歌剧女高音被要求离开飞机，也因为一名机组成员认为被她恶言相待。

当然，这是极端的情况。但是，即使在一间餐餐馆里粗暴对待服务员，这也会让他/她的同伴（们）难堪，并会招致其他食客的白眼。

在美国，人们总试图善待他人， 包括服务人员。


 


--

Follow up:

Just saw a video - waiter spilled beer on the back of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who took it very graciously.



跟进：

刚看到一个视频 - 服务员上酒洒了德国总理安格拉·默克尔的后背，她处事不惊，非常客气。

Governor vs. President 州長对總統

The picture of Arizona Governor Jane Brewer's pointing finger at President Obama has raised eyebrows and generated much talks both domestically and internationally, such as reported by People's Daily in China.

She was in the airport to greet President Obama, however the conversation didn't go smoothly therefore the finger-pointing.

In regardless what triggered this confrontation and how serious it was, the very fact that a governor can point her finger at the president much seem very impossible to imagine for many Chinese people.

Yet, once you learn that in the U.S., a governor is not appointed by President and was elected by voters in her/his state alone, you can see that not much direct impact would only to her, unless voters in Arizona feel her behavior unacceptable.  A president cannot punish, let alone remove a governor.  A governor cannot even remove a mayor, who usually is elected by voters of that city.  That is simple how things are in the U.S.

亞利桑那州州長簡 布魯爾的手指指点奧巴馬總統的圖像让人有点惊叹, 引起國內和國際很多评论，如中國人民日報的報導。

她是在機場迎接奧巴馬總統，但显然談話並不順利。

無論在什麼引發争执，或争执是否嚴重，州長布魯爾可以手指指点總統, 似乎让很多中國人無法想像。

然而，一旦你了解到，在美國，一個州長不是由總統任命，並是由她/他的州選民選舉產生，你可以认识到，这件事不会給她带来太大的直接影響，除非亞利桑那州的選民覺得她的行為不可接受。美國總統没有权力懲罰，更不用說免掉州長。州長也不能免掉市長，因为市長通常是由該城市的選民選舉產生。在美國事情就是这样。

Wiener Großer Musikvereinssaal – Viennese Music Association The Golden Hall 维也纳金色大廳

I have been intrigued by the exceptional pride some Chinese people took in the fact that popular folk singer Ms. Ziying Song had performed a solo concert or recital at the Wiener Großer Musikvereinssaal (The Golden Hall at Viennese Music Association) in 2003.  To them, Ms. Song's concert there was a proof that Chinese art and artist have reached the pinnacle of artistic achievement and duly acknowledged by the ultimate arbiter in the field.

A little online search told me that Ms. Song indeed sang in the Golden Hall.  But it was not a part of the regular program of the Musikverein or its associate.  Instead, her concert was presented by Austrian-China Cultural Exchange Association in Austria.  I was able to include a video below.



One can see, for example, at 2'33, the hall is about about half-full.

It was obviously not a pure musical event, rather, it was a cultural exchange event. Ms. Song relied on two program announcer which also struck a wrong gesture.  In the west, when the serious musicians perform recitals, they do not rely on announcer(s) to inform the audience of the program. The programs would be printed and if there is any encore, either the performers announce them or no announcement at all. With there two announcers on stage, the performance took an air of a circus.

It is not insignificant that the Cultural Exchange Association presented Song in the Golden Hall but it was definitely a testament of her artistry.  Even in a exulted hall as this, it can still be rented by presenters as long as the program is not going to do damage to the reputation of the concert hall.  Presenters organize the show alone and rented the venue, and other musicians and crews. The audience who came to the concert did not came for the love of music (alone).  This event did show that Ms. Song had strong backing and fans from Chinese government, who saw her as the good fit as cultural ambassador.

And that's that.

我一直对中國民謠歌手宋祖英女士維也納音樂協會金色大廳獨唱音樂會（2003年）引起的一些中國人人的特殊的驕傲感到好奇。對他們來說，宋女士的演唱證明，中國藝術和藝術家的藝術成就已達到巔峰，並获得該領域的最終仲裁者的正式承認。

網上搜索告訴我，宋女士確實在金色大廳演唱。但那不是金色大廳或其聯營公司的常规节目計劃的一部分。她的演唱會是由奥地利奥中文化交流协会推出的。

从以下視頻人們可以看到，在2'33时，大廳約半滿。它顯然不是一個純粹的音樂會，相反，它是一種文化的交流活動。宋女士依靠兩個报幕員也打了個錯誤的手勢。在西方，嚴肃音樂家演奏時，不靠报幕員告知觀眾节目, 而是打印的节目单。如果有任何返场演出，或由表演者宣布，或沒有公佈。使用兩個兩個报幕員，带来一個馬戲團的气氛。

奥地利奥中文化交流协会主办的金色大廳演出并不是微不足道，但它不能證明宋女士的藝術水准。即使在這个声明显赫的大廳，仍然可以被租用，只要节目不會使音樂廳的聲譽受損。主办人可租用場地，和其他音樂家及音乐厅工作人员。來演唱會的觀眾並不单纯是出于對音樂的熱愛。演出事实证明，宋女士有中國政府的堅強後盾，把她视为非常適合的文化大使。

一切就是這樣。

Libraries in the US - 美國圖書館

Libraries in the U.S. are very different from their counterparts in China.  In the U.S., libraries collect large quantities of books, audio and video materials, with few duplications.  Their collections are usually free of charge for local people to use, either in the libraries or at home.  Borrowing materials from libraries is very easy.  Once one proofs his local residency, he can obtain a library card almost immediately.

In the U.S., libraries also provide many social activities, such as story times for children, etc.  Usually, there are several computers people can sign on to use for free.

Libraries in the U.S. are open to the public and requires no endorsement or recommendations from other organizations for one to borrow books, unlike in China, that libraries there often require people to produce some "introduction letters" from their workplaces or resident committees before they were allowed to use the facilities.

The openness of the U.S., libraries and their service orientation make them very valuable in people's life.  In China, even highly educated people like my parents almost never use any library after their college days.


圖書館在美國与在中國的非常不同。在美國，圖書館收集大量的書籍和音頻, 視頻材料，很少有重複。它们的藏品通常是免費為當地居民在圖書館或在家使用。從圖書館借用材料是很容易的。一旦證明居住情况，居民可以得到幾乎立即一個借書證。

在美國，圖書館還提供了許多社會活動，如兒童故事時間等等。通常情況下，圖書館有幾個電腦供人们免費使用。

在美國的圖書館向公眾開放的， 用户不需要任何其他組織的贊同或推荐来借閱圖書，不像在中國，需要有從他們的工作場所或居民委員會开给圖書館的“介紹信”。

美國圖書館的開放性和服務導向，确立了美國圖書館在人們的生活的重要性。在中國，即使受過高等教育的人如我的父母也从他們的大學毕业后幾乎從來没有在中國用过任何圖書館。

 
Berkeley Public Library - 伯克利公共图书馆
Courtesy Steve Masover

Costs in University of California - 加州大学的费用

Recently, many students occupied campuses to protest the ever-rising costs in University of California, such as Berkeley and Davis.

The products of these excellent public universities are a great deal for sure, but the fast rising prices are becoming a heavy burden to the families.

The costs in the ten campuses of the University of California (UC) vary a bit, but in general, are in the similar range.

For example, Collegedata.com website listed the costs at UC Berkeley as:

TUITION AND EXPENSES

Cost of Attendance	In-state: $32,635 Out-of-state: $55,513
Tuition and Fees	In-state: $12,835 Out-of-state: $35,713
Room and Board	$14,990
Books and Supplies	$1,202
Other Expenses	$3,608

In UCLA, the costs listed on Collegedata.com are:

TUITION AND EXPENSES

Cost of Attendance	In-state: $31,554 Out-of-state: $54,432
Tuition and Fees	In-state: $12,686 Out-of-state: $35,564
Room and Board	$13,979
Books and Supplies	$1,506
Other Expenses	$3,383

For the perspective, we should keep in mind that the California State Median Income for FFY 2011/2012 for a 4-person family is $78,666 [source: US Department of Health and Human Services].


最近，很多學生佔領校園，如在伯克利和戴維斯，抗議美國加州大學不斷上升的费用。

這些優秀的公立大學的产品仍然是一個很上算，但過快上漲的價格正成為家庭的沉重負擔。

在美國加州大學（UC）的十個校园成本各不相同，但大体上是在類似的範圍內。

例如，Collegedata.com網站列出加州大學伯克利校园的费用为：

学费和费用

在校费用	本州学生: $32,635 外州学生: $55,513
学杂费	本州学生: $12,835 外州学生: $35,713
食宿费	$14,990
书和用品	$1,202
其他费用	$3,608

在加州大學洛杉磯，在Collegedata.com列出的费用是：

学费和费用

在校费用	本州学生: $31,554 外州学生: $54,432
学杂费	本州学生: $12,686 外州学生: $35,564
食宿费	$13,979
书和用品	$1,506
其他费用	$3,383

對於角度來看，我們應該記住，加利福尼亞州的四人家庭的FFY2011/2012估计平均收入為 78666美元 [來源：美國衛生與人類服務部]。



Students protesting at UC Berkeley 学生在加州大学伯克利抗议

Emergency Medical Help - 医疗急救

中国佛山的小悦悦是如何被汽车碾过和被过路人忽略，最后是由拾荒人帮助，但最终死亡的故事在中国引起了很大寻找灵魂的反思。

然而，当我看了这个事故的录像，也被那个善良的女人是绝对错误的帮助方式吓坏了 - 她没有试图检查小女孩是否已受伤，直接拉她的手臂，试图让她站起来。

帮助人的最好的办法是，首先确保受伤或生病人的安全，然后打电话叫专业医疗救援，并陪同与受伤或生病人，直到医务人员到达。 移动伤者和病者，往往加剧伤情或病情，并导致更多的损害。

最近，我目睹了在一家美国咖啡馆里的标准救援工作。 一个下午，不拥挤的咖啡馆里。一个她二十出头的年轻女子，突然失去了知觉了。幸运的是，她先倒在柜台上，然后才跌倒木地板上。在她旁边一个女人立即检查她的呼吸和明显的伤害，并要咖啡馆工作人员拨打紧急帮助电话。几分钟后，女孩恢复了意识，帮助的女人不停地问她问题，她的状况，并要求工作人员给她一杯水。 数分钟后，救护车赶到，帮助的女人走开，让专业人士来照顾年轻女子。医务人员询问了更多的问题及她的病情。 其间，她再次失去了知觉。因此，医务人员决定带她到医院，以作更多的检查。 担架带进来，但他们不是把她从地上抬起来，而是轻轻地把她滚到侧身躺着，然后把担架滑向她身体下方，然后把她滚回来，躺在担架上。之后，他们进行她抬走了。

中国，除了集体的反省，还需要教育人们如何帮助，同时避免造成更大的伤害。


Dirge / 輓歌 © Matthew Felix Sun

The heart wrenching story of how Little Yueyue of Foshan, China was hit by cars and ignored by passers-by and finally was helped by a rubbish collector and eventual death has generated much soul searching in China. 

However, when I watched the video of this story, I was also horrified by the way the kind-hearted woman's absolutely wrong way to help - she tried to lift her up by her arms to make her stand up, without checking if the little girl had been injured or not.

The best way to help, is to ensure the safety of the wounded or the sick, then call wait till professional medical help, and stay with the the wounded or the sick and wait till the medics arrive.

By moving the wounded and the sick, it often exacerbates the problem and causes more damages.

I recently witnessed a model rescue effort in a cafe.

It was in the afternoon and the cafe was not crowded.  A patron, young woman in her early twenties, suddenly lost consciousness and fell.  Luckily, she fell on the counter first and then on the wooden floor.  A woman next to her immediately checked on her breath and obvious injury and asked the staff to call emergency help.  A few minutes later, the girl regained her consciousness and the helping woman kept asking her questions regarding her conditions and asked the staff to bring a glass of water.

A few more minutes past and the ambulance arrived and the helping woman moved away so the professionals could tend the young woman.  The medics asked more questions regarding her condition and then she lost consciousness again briefly.  Therefore, the medics decided to take her to hospital for more check up.

A stretcher was brought in.  Instead of lifting her from the ground, they gently rolled her to her side and slid the stretch underneath her and then rolled her back onto the stretcher.   After that, they carried her away.

China, beyond its collective soul-searching, needs to educate people more on how to help without causing more damage.